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AAP’s power freebie in Punjab meaningless when there is no power: Sidhu
Accompanied by former party legislators, Sidhu said it was for the first time in Punjab that people were forced to brave power cuts even when paddy sowing season was yet to start.
Former Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday led a protest against power shortage in the state, near the Rajpura thermal plant in Patiala district.
Accompanied by former party legislators, Sidhu said it was for the first time in Punjab that people were forced to brave power cuts even when paddy sowing season was yet to start.
“The power demand will peak in June and July, when it is expected to reach 17,000 MW, but the state government is unable to supply even regular power when load is just 7,500 MW,” Sidhu said.
Slamming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s government’s recent announcement of free 300 units of electricity per household, the Congress leader said: “There is no meaning of free power, when there is no power, or when the public faces lengthy power cuts.”
Terming chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann a “puppet” of AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Sidhu alleged the Delhi leadership was “running the show” in Punjab while Mann had “limited say in the government”.
Factional feud at fore again
Former state legislator from Rajpura Hardial Singh Kamboj had organised the protest, which also saw the participation of former MLAs Ashwani Sekhri, Sukhwinder Danny, Navtej Cheema, Sunil Dutti, Jagdev Singh Kamalu and Nazar Singh Mansahia among others.
Former MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman, who has been expelled from the Congress for speaking against Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC)’s new president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, was also present.
The event is being seen as yet another show of strength by the former Punjab Congress chief, amid appeal for unity and discipline by his successor. According to Warring, he had no knowledge about the protest.
Kamboj said that it was a local event of the constituency, and thus only local leaders joined it. “No one was invited. It was a local protest; thus no was from the PPCC was invited. Sidhu, after coming to know about this protest, showed interest in joining the Congress workers for the cause of Punjabis who are rattled by severe power cuts,” he said.
